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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055398">A Storm of Cats</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626'>Morpheus626</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Pacific (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:53:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Three of my favorite things all in one fic: cats, Sledge, and Snafu.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Storm of Cats</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why are there seven cats in the house?” </p>
<p>Snafu didn’t look up from his book. “Yeah, the cats are all inside. Gonna storm later, don’t want them gettin’ wet.” </p>
<p>“I know they’re all in the house. But there are seven, and we only have three,” Eugene tried again. “Gunner, Little Sid, and Queen. Three.” </p>
<p>“Mhm,” Snafu replied, still deep in the mystery novel he was reading. “I know, I love them too.” </p>
<p>Eugene stared. “Hey, did I tell you I’m pregnant? And Gunner’s the father.” </p>
<p>Finally, his eyes snapped up. “The fuck did you just say?” </p>
<p>“I’m asking you where the extra four cats came from. Have they been coming in here all week?” </p>
<p>Snafu shrugged. “I mean, it’s been nice all week. I’ve just been lettin’ the kids come in and out as they wish. What about you?” </p>
<p>“I haven’t been taking head count either,” Eugene sighed. He should have been, apparently. Their cats had gone and taken advantage of their inattention and turned them into a cat hotel. </p>
<p>“Well, let’s wrangle ‘em up. Maybe some have collars; we can walk ‘em home,” Snafu replied, setting down his book. “Someone’ll be missing them.” </p>
<p>In their room, they found Queen, with one of the new cats, a fluffy calico that appeared to have an affinity for Queen purely in that she was just as fluffy (except jet black) and that they both had matching glares upon being found. </p>
<p>“C’mon, stop gripin’,” Snafu told the calico as he picked her up. “Queen, this your sister or somethin? Just as grumpy as you are.” </p>
<p>Queen meowed loudly at that, and followed them as they brought the new cat into their room. </p>
<p>“We corral everyone in here, figure out who belongs where, and go from there,” Eugene sighed as Queen and the calico settled on the bed after shaking their loose fur all over it. “I just washed the bed sheets, ladies.” </p>
<p>Matching glares were all that he got. “Fine, be fussy. Enjoy the last bit of your play date.” </p>
<p>A crash in the guest room led them to Little Sid, who was being chased over, around, and under the bed by two cats that looked to be as old as he was. One white, the other a grey tabby. It took three cycles of them running before they had all three caught, claws digging into their arms as the cats struggled for freedom. </p>
<p>“Now, hush,” Snafu instructed as they got back into their room, and deposited the two other new cats and Little Sid onto the bed, much to the displeasure of Queen and the new calico. </p>
<p>The tabby sat up, stared willfully at Snafu, and yowled loudly and long enough that his little body shook with the effort. Once he was done, he let out a little frustrated huff. </p>
<p>“…I kinda like this one,” Snafu smiled. </p>
<p>“We already have three, and he probably has a home,” Eugene reminded him. Even if the little shit was cute. And it wouldn’t hurt for Little Sid to have a playmate closer to his age. </p>
<p>“He’s got spirit though. Just think about it, if he doesn’t have anywhere else to go,” Snafu begged. </p>
<p>“You know I’ll say yes, don’t fret,” Eugene sighed. </p>
<p>They tromped back out, carefully closing the door behind them as Little Sid tried to escape with his new friends. </p>
<p>A search of the rest of the house came up clean, and they headed outside, only to find the yard just as empty. </p>
<p>“Where the fuck are they?” Eugene asked the walls of the house as they came back in. “They can’t just fuckin’ disappear.” </p>
<p>“Sure they can,” Snafu replied. “Cats, man. They don’t follow our rules.” </p>
<p>“I’m curious, but at the same time I’m not sure I wanna know what you mean,” Eugene sighed. </p>
<p>“Wait’ll we find ‘em, bet you’ll get it then. It’s always somewhere weird or stupid,” Snafu laughed. </p>
<p>“Did you-did you have cats back in New Orleans, Snaf?” Eugene asked, his heart suddenly breaking at the thought of a beloved pet left behind with uncaring family. </p>
<p>“A cat. She was old when I left. She probably died before we got to Okinawa,” Snafu replied shortly as he bent down to peer under the sitting room couch. </p>
<p>“What was her name?” </p>
<p>“Delilah,” Snafu answered softly, pausing for a moment in his search. </p>
<p>He could see he was picking at something sore, so he stopped. Snafu would talk more about it if he wanted and was ready to. Besides that, they still had two more cats to find. </p>
<p>They split up to search, though he felt stupid crawling underneath the same furniture, moving the same curtains, knowing the cats wouldn’t be there. </p>
<p>Suddenly, Snafu crowed from upstairs. “I found ‘em! Aw, wait’ll you see!” </p>
<p>Eugene jogged upstairs, and found Snafu in their room, cackling in front of the closed wardrobe. </p>
<p>“No,” Eugene said bluntly as the pieces fell into place. “Absolutely not.” </p>
<p>“Open it,” Snafu replied. </p>
<p>“Oh, c’mon,” Eugene sighed, and pulled the doors open to reveal Gunner and an orange and white cat sitting on a pile of their clothes, seemingly dragged to the bottom of the wardrobe by sharp claws. “How?! The doors were closed!” </p>
<p>“Cats,” Snafu said wisely as he picked up Gunner, who meowed in protest. </p>
<p>Eugene took the other, and turned to gently drop him onto the bed. “You two are very naughty.” </p>
<p>The orange and white cat blinked slowly and happily at him. </p>
<p>“Knock that off,” Eugene scolded, despite reaching down to pet the cat. “You’re goin’ home, wherever that is.” </p>
<p>The cat purred as he rubbed its chin, and Snafu cackled again. “You tell ‘em, boy. Man, is he learnin’ his lesson.” </p>
<p>“Like you’re doin’ any better,” Eugene replied. Snafu had laid on the bed, and Queen and the calico had moved to lay on top of his torso. </p>
<p>“I have a living, breathing, purring blanket, and you are just jealous,” Snafu replied.</p>
<p>“Thought I was a better blanket,” Eugene whined playfully. “Have I been replaced?” </p>
<p>“Maybe,” Snafu teased. “Gonna have to prove yourself later.” </p>
<p>Eugene could envision exactly how he wanted that to look, but he couldn’t let it distract him. “Put it on the to do list.” </p>
<p>“‘Kay. Me, I’m on the to do list,” Snafu giggled to the cats on his chest. </p>
<p>“Who do we wanna start with?” Eugene said. </p>
<p>“Pick up your new buddy,” Snafu replied as he got up with a sigh, Queen and the calico protesting at his moving. “Let’s get goin’.” </p>
<p>They took the car, despite the cat’s protests, and an hour later they were back home…still with the cat. </p>
<p>“How the hell does he belong to nobody nearby?” Eugene asked as he carried the cat inside. “Where did you come from, bud?” </p>
<p>He set the cat down, and was given a soft meow in reply, but no other explanation. </p>
<p>“Cats,” Snafu nodded sagely. “I’ll get the calico. Think she likes me better than you.” </p>
<p>“You have no way of knowin’ that,” Eugene scoffed. </p>
<p>“Calicos just like me better,” Snafu replied as he trotted upstairs. </p>
<p>When he returned, it seemed to be true. The calico was snuggled in his arms, purring as loud as anything, her eyes closed happily. She stayed that way for the entire car ride and search for her home, eventually falling asleep in Snafu’s arms. </p>
<p>“Okay,” Eugene laughed as they came back inside the house, Snafu cradling their new, fifth cat like a baby. “Five. Sure, why not. Five, oh my god.” </p>
<p>“Sh. Don’t wake the baby,” Snafu scolded in a whisper. “Gonna go put her to bed.” </p>
<p>The cat cracked an eye open and yawned. </p>
<p>“No, no, go back to sleep Delilah. Your papa’s gonna be quiet now, promise,” Snafu soothed, and Eugene’s heart broke in two. </p>
<p>“I’m sure she’d be proud to have this one bear her name,” he said quietly. </p>
<p>Snafu nodded, but wouldn’t turn to look at him. “She was a good girl. Persnickety, territorial, kind of an asshole-just the way a calico is supposed to be. Just like this one is, I bet.” </p>
<p>“Put her to bed, and grab the other two. I’ll meet you in the car, okay?” Eugene said. </p>
<p>Snafu only nodded as he started up the stairs, Delilah craning her head back over his arm to yawn at Eugene as he went back outside. </p>
<p>After about ten minutes, Snafu joined him in the car, a sleepy cat on each arm. Tears were running down his face. </p>
<p>“Sweetheart,” Eugene started, but Snafu shook his head. </p>
<p>“I don’t wanna talk about it. I mean, I do, but…” he sniffled. “She probably died right after I left. I always wanted to think she lasted longer, but no one else cared enough to take care of her. She was so sweet, and she always loved me. And the last thing I did was go away, and she never saw me again or understood where I went.” </p>
<p>Eugene frowned sadly and carefully reached for one of Snafu’s hands, holding it gently while a tiny grey paw slipped on top of their hands. </p>
<p>Snafu giggled at that, through the tears. </p>
<p>“I get it. I mean…I still miss Deacon. I know he was taken care of, but he didn’t know where I went. All he knew was that I was gone, and that’s all he knew when he died. Same as your girl. I don’t think it ever stops hurting. But maybe the Delilah we got back at home might help?” Eugene asked.</p>
<p>Snafu nodded. “You gotta name the other one.” </p>
<p>Eugene nodded. “Wonder how mad Deacon would be if I named a cat after him…he didn’t hate ‘em, but he chased a few out of the yard.” </p>
<p>“I bet he’d make an exception for you,” Snafu replied. “Bet he’d have done anything to make you happy.” </p>
<p>Eugene sighed. “He did. Deacon it is then.” </p>
<p>“Good,” Snafu was still sniffling, but the tears were slowly drying up. “Let’s see if we’re gettin’ to keep these two or not.” </p>
<p>They got their answer quickly enough, barely a quarter mile down the road when they found a family parked on the side of the road. </p>
<p>The little girl by the car flagged them down, her little hand waving as fast as it could. “Mister! You seen my babies? One’s my brother’s kinda, but I’m better at takin’ care of ‘em. One’s grey and the other’s white, and we named ‘em Tiger and Spud. My brother named Spud, but everybody figures that out, and-” </p>
<p>“Hold on,” Eugene interrupted her gently. “These the little guys you’re lookin’ for?” </p>
<p>Snafu handed over the half-asleep cats one by one, and Eugene handed them out the open car window to the girl and her brother as he ran up to join them. </p>
<p>The kids were in tears. “Thank you! You saved our babies!” </p>
<p>Their parents waved from the car, clearly grateful their search was ended. It was getting late, after all, and the storm clouds were starting to roll in. </p>
<p>Snafu leaned over Eugene. “You keep ‘em inside now, or just in your yard, okay? They’re safer that way. And I gotta know; which one is Spud?” </p>
<p>The little boy proudly held up the grey tabby, and Snafu laughed. “Perfect. You got a perfect name for a perfect cat.” </p>
<p>The boy nodded happily before darting away with his sister to answer their parent’s call to return to their car. </p>
<p>“Spud,” Snafu laughed as they turned around and drove back. “The kid’s a genius. What else would you name a cat like that?” </p>
<p>Eugene smiled. “Dunno. But maybe we’ll seem the kids wandering with ‘em. Make sure they stay safe near the road, that no one gets lost. You’ll get to say hi to Spud then.” </p>
<p>Between the setting of the sun and the storm settling in, it was pitch black by the time they parked in front of the house. </p>
<p>Eugene opened the door, and smiled. </p>
<p>All five cats were sat in a semi-circle near the front door: Queen, Gunner, Little Sid, Deacon, and Delilah, all staring at them as if they were disappointed parents waiting up for their disobedient children. </p>
<p>“I bet some folks in this house need dinner. Extra, because it’s late and because I know this storm is gonna make y’all mad,” Eugene said. </p>
<p>Queen led the cat train towards the kitchen without so much as a meow, and he resisted the urge to laugh. </p>
<p>“If we die in a horrible accident, they get the house,” Snafu said as they followed towards the kitchen. </p>
<p>“Snaf.” </p>
<p>“And all my money. I don’t know what they’re gonna do with it, but I trust them,” Snafu continued. </p>
<p>“Merriell.” </p>
<p>“I’m gonna build them a little house in the backyard next, just you wait. Big enough so they all get their own little space, enough for a little bed and blanket and some toys, and my god we need to get them more toys,”Snafu continued on. </p>
<p>Eugene grabbed Snafu’s hand, stopped him, and pulled him close for a kiss. “Okay. Let’s get through tonight, let ‘em get acclimated first to the house, each other. I mean, I think they are already, but I got one more item on my to do list to finish tonight before I worry about gettin’ them more toys.” </p>
<p>“What do you have…” Snafu paused, then grinned. “Oh yeah. Me!” </p>
<p>“You,” Eugene grinned, and kissed him again until a angry and impatient yowl that sounded like a mix of Queen and Delilah interrupted them. “The kids are hungry, c’mon. We feed them, then we can go finish the to do list.” </p>
<p>“Hope the storm is a loud one,” Snafu replied as they made it into the kitchen and started dishing up for the cats. “Otherwise there’s gonna be other noises that might give ‘em a bit of a start.” </p>
<p>Eugene blushed. “Jesus, Snaf. Not in front of the kids.” </p>
<p>“Then let’s get upstairs. They’re good,” Snafu replied. </p>
<p>They left the cats in the kitchen, happy and comfortable even as the thunder and lightening started. </p>
<p>Eugene was ready to prove he was still the better blanket.</p>
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